Wire-and-picket-fence machine



(No Model.) 4 Shets-Sheet 1.

J. KELLEY.

WIRE AND PIUKET PBNGE MACHINE. No. 431,772. Patented July 8, 1890.

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(No Model!) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. KELLEY. WIRE AND PIGKET FENCE MACHINE.

No. 431,772. Patented July 8, 1890.

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J. KELLEY. WIRE AND PIOKET FBNGE MACHINE.

Patented July 8, 1890.

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J. KELLEY. WIRE AND PIOKET FENCE MACHINE.

Patented July 8, 1890.

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A TTOR/VEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAM S KELLEY, or RlGHMONDplNDlANA.

WIRE-AND-PlCKET-FENCE MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 431,772, dated July 8, 1890.

Application filed January 14, 1888- Seria1No.260,791- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES KELLEY, residing at Richmond, in the county of Vayne and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fence-Making Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of fencemachines known as picket-fence looms and it has for its object to provide a machine which will automatically feed the picket between the wires, twist same in reverse direction at each edge of the picket, feed the same forward, wind same upon the bolt-shaft, and adj ust said shaft soas to always wind saidfenoe in the samehorizontal plane, such movement-s being accomplished by suitable intermediate gearing devices connected with the driveshaft, whereby the movement of the machine may becontinnous and require the service of only one man or boy to run it.

It has also for its object to provide means for adjusting the wires so that the pickets may be woven in place, either close together or at some distance apart, and whereby different widths of pickets may be used.

To this end myimproved fence-making machine consists in certain novel features of construction and peculiar combination of parts, all of which will be hereinafter fully described in the annexed specification, and particularly pointed out in the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved fence-making machine. Fig. 1 is a detail view, hereinafter referred to. Fig. 2 is a side view thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section of the same, taken on the line 3 3, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 4 4, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail cross-section on the line 5 5, Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the springactuated picket-feeder. Fig. 7 is a cross-section on line 7 7, Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is a detail View, hereinafter referred to. Fig. 9 is a detail cross-section of the tension device. Fig. 10 is a detail view of the shifter-arm, and Fig. 11 is a detail View of the segmental rack and the gear I.

In the drawings, A indicates the main frame, which may be constructed of either wood oriron, and which is formed of the rectone end of the shaft B, and still nearer such end I provide said shaft with a pinion D, which gears with a cog-gear E, which is securely attached to the shaft E, journaled in the frame A and disposed below and parallel to the shaft B.

On the forward end of the shaft E is attached a crank F, which is connected by means of the rod f withv the segment or oper ating-rack G, the lower end of such segment being bifurcated, as at g g, and pivoted 011 the rod g, journaled in the main frame, as shown. The upper peripheral edge G of this segment is formed with a central toothed section G2 and smooth end sections G3 G for a purpose hereinafter explained.

H denotes a short shaft arranged parallel to the main shaft and disposed directly under the table or bed portion of the machine, such shaft being provided with a pinion I, which is disposed over the segment G and is adapted to be engaged by the rack-teeth G when said segment is oscillated on its pivot.

H indicates a spur-pinion secured on the shaft H, which meshes with the lower toothed face J of a reciprocating rack-bar J, arranged to operate at right angles to the shafts B and H, as most clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The upper face of the bar J is also provided with a toothed portion J which normally is in engagement with the cogged rims K of the twister-disks K, one of. such disks being shown in section in Fig. 3, said disks being journaled in metal plates k k, secured and depending from a transverse beam L, held upon the frame A, as shown.

The disks K, of which there may be two or more employed, are each formed of a hollow hub-section 1, a toothed rim K, and the cross-pieces 2 2, provided with wire-passages 3 3, which register with similar passages m that when the shaft B is revolved the shaft E will be revolved, and the movement thereof will be communicated to the oscillating segment G,thetoothed section thereof engaging the cog-gear I on the shaft H, such shaft causing the rack J to move to the left as the segment moves to the right, and vice versa. It will thus be seen that the twister-disks K will be revolved in opposite directions, thereby twisting the wires in reverse directions on opposite edges of the pickets in a manner presently explained; As before stated, the picket-feeding devices operate automatically, such operation being effected by the movement of the main shaft.

Now, by referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings it will be seen that the picket support or bed consists of a transverse bar N, arranged in front of and just below the lower edge of the twister-disks, such bed having a detachable extension 0, which projects beyond one side of the machine, such extension being formed with a longitudinal slot 0, in which operates a spring actuated picket pusher P, (shown in detail in Fig. 6,) and which consists of a body portion P, provided with grooves 19, adapted to engage plates at n, fitted to the under side of the extension O, as most clearly shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings, such plates forming guides for holding said pusher in position. The pusher P is provided at its front with a vertical finger P pivoted at its lower end to the body P, such finger having a rearwardly-extending base 19 which limits the rearward movement of said finger. Aspringp connected at one end to the finger and at its other end to the body portion P, normally holds said finger in a vertical position. also provided with grooves 13 19 near its upper end, which engage plates Q Q, secured to the upper face of extension 0, such plates, however, stopping short at each end of the slot, as shown.

At the front edge of the extension 0, I provide a vertical plate R, which forms a guide for the picketwhen placed in position on the extension. At the outer end of the extension 0, below the same, I journal a pulley 8, over which passes a cord T, one end of which is secured to the rear end of the pusher P,

while its opposite end is secured to the grooved pulley Z, loosely mounted on the shaft B, while-the forward end of said pusher is secured to one end of a spiral spring U, the

The finger P is.

other end being secured to the frame, as shown. The inner one of the flanges on the shaft is provided with a radial projecting lug 20, which is engaged by a spring-actuated locking-pawl 21, which is provided with an extension 22.

V denotes a releasing-stop, which projects in the path of the movement of the end 22 of the locking-pawl 21 and serves to engage the same when the disk is revolved in the direction of the arrow 40*, and W denotes a lug secured to the face of the disk, which engages the stop V when the said disk turns in its reverse direction after the pawl has been disengaged and limits such movement of said disk. 1

A denotes a shaft arranged at right angles to the shaft B and in the same horizontal plane, one end of which is provided with a bevel-gear a which meshes with a similar gear a on the main shaft B, and B denotes a cam secured upon said shaft A, which engages a projecting arm 0 on a picket-shifting device, such device consisting of a rock-shaft C journaled to the frame to the front of and just below the picket-bed, such shaft having upwardly-projecting arms 0 pivoted at their upper ends to horizontally-disposed arms 0 movable transversely across the picket-bed N, the rear ends of such arms being turned up, as at '0 D denotes a stout spiral spring connected at one end to the frame, its opposite end being connected to one of the arms 0 as shown, such spring serving to normally pull the said picket-shifter outward.

E denotes picket-guides pivoted to thebeam L, which project over the bed of the machine in the path of the moving picket during its feed forward, the front edges of said guides having downturned flanges 6 which serve I to hold the pickets in proper relation to the twister-disks, springs 6 being provided for holding said guides down in place.

Thus far I have described the construction of the wire-twisting devices and the picketfeed construction. I will now proceed to describe the practical operation of such devices. Assuming the parts to be in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3, a picket having been pushed in place, its front end engaging a stop-block 30, the shifter-arms 0 being in their innermost position, their vertical portions 0 engaging the rear edge of the picket, by turning the shaft B in the direction of the arrow or the radial lug 20 on the flange C will engage the locking-pawl and turn the grooved wheel Z with it, Winding the cord T thereon IIO in position asthe pusher travels backward. As the shaft Brevolves, the gearD, engaging the gear E on the shaft IE, will cause the crank F to oscillate the segment G, and the teeth thereof, engaging the gearl on the shaft H, cause the rack-bar J to reciprocate in a direction opposite the movement of the said segment, the length of the tooth-section G be ing'such as to turn the gear I one revolution. The movement of the rack-bar causes the twister-disks to revolve in the same direction as the movement of the segment. It will of course be understood that the toothed portion of the twister-disks may be of such diameter in relation to the rack-bar that one complete movement of such bar in one direction will cause the said twister-disks to revolve one or more times, so as to make one or more twists in the wires. I preferably make such toothed portionsone-half thediameter of thegearH so that the wires are twisted double at each movement of the rack-bar. Following the beforedescribed movement of the segment, it will be observed that at the time the end 50 of the toothed portion passes from under the gear I- operate, as described, on its return movement.

During the above operation the shaft B causes (through the bevel-gears a a) the shaft A 'to revolve and bring the cam B in position about ready to release its pressure against the bar the continued or end mo vement in the direction stated of the segment will cause the cam to release said arm 0 which permits the spring D to quickly draw the bars 0 outward and with it the picket,

the front edge of such picket striking against the inclined portions of the spring-guides E and lifting them out of the way. At this time the crank F has pushed the segment its full'movement in one way and begins to pull it in the opposite direction, the tooth-section now engaging the gear I and causes it, through the gear H, to move the rack J and turn the twisters in the opposite direction and twist the wires at the front edge of the picket last in place. At this time the boltreel pulls the said picket forward, in a manner here inafter described, and allows the spread or parallel portions of the wires to be in position to receive the next picket when it is pushed in place. During this continued movement the cam B engages the arm 0 and pushes it in position, while the large grooved wheel winds up the cord T and pulls the picket-pusher back until it reaches the outer end-of the extension, where the top plates Q Q are stopped short, allowing the spring 29 to raise the finger to its vertical position, it be- 1 ing understood, however, that before the pusher reaches the limit of its outer movement another picket has been placed in po sition upon the extension 0. At the time said pusher reaches its outer limit the end 22 of the locking-pawl will strike against-the stop V and release the pawl 21 from the lug and permit said wheel and the pusher to be quickly drawn back by means of the spring U, which is secured to the front end of the pusher and frame, as described, the lugNV on the face of the wheel engaging the stop V and holds the said wheel from further movement in such direction, thereby getting a continued automatic movement of the twisting, feeding, and shifting devices from a continued movement in one direction of the main shaft.

The devices for winding up the complete fence into bolts are most clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 8 of the drawings, such devices consisting, namely, of a swinging frame formed of arms F vF, pivoted at a to the front beams a? of the frame of the machine. The'arm F is provided at its lower end with a short shaft G provided with a cog-wheel 9 adapted to engage a segmental rack-bar H fastened to the sideof the machine, as shown. On the outer end of the shaft G is mounted a gearl which meshes with a bevelpinion J on the lower' end of ashaft J, journaled in hearings j, projected from the arm F, the upper end thereof being also provided with a bevel-gear K of a much larger diameter than the gear J such gear K engaging abevel-pinion L on the end of the disk L, j ourn aled in the outer end of the arm F such disk being provided with a non-circular socket Z, in which is fitted the squared end of the bolt-shaft L its opposite end being detachably supported in the arm F, as shown.

M denotes a lever-arm loosely pivoted on V A the disk L provided with gravity-pawlsl Z which engage a toothed section N formed upon the disk L, said arm adapted when moved outward to turn the said disk L and with it the shaft L in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2, springactuated pawls O O, pivoted upon the end of the arm F being provided to hold said toothed section N from reverse movement.

I indicates a sliding collar secured upon the lever M which may be adjusted on said lever, as desired, and held in such adjustment by means of a rod Q pivoted at its upper end to the collar P and at its lower end to the frame, as shown. By adjusting the col- IIO lar-bar from the disk L. the bolt-reel maybe revolved a greater or less distance, so as to pull the last picket woven away from the picket-bed to a greater or less degree, whereby the fence-pickets may be woven close together or apart, as may be. desired. I

R indicates a pitman connectedat one end to the collar P and at its opposite end to a crank-arm S on the outer end of a short shaft T journaled in the frame at right angles. to

the shaftB, which is provided with .a bevel.-

gear t', which meshes with abevel-gear a on the shaft B, as shown.

In operation when the machine is first started the bolt-shaft L is adjusted so as to be nearly flush with the upper edge of the frame of the machine. The end of the wires are then secured thereto and the machine set in motion and operated in the manner before described. It will be seen that as the shaft B revolves its gear a will revolve the shaft T and cause the pitman to oscillate the leverarm M and rotate the shaft L and wind the fence material thereon, it being understood that the relation of the crank S the shaft T and their connection with shaft 13 is such that it will operate to wind up the fence material just after the picket-shifter pulls the pickets away from the twister-disks, as before described. It will also be seen that as the bolt-shaft L is revolved the pinion L will slightly turn the large pinion K on the shaft J, which in turn will impart motion to the gear I on the outer end of the shaft G and the cog-wheel g on said shaft, engaging the segmental rack 11 will cause the lower end of the swinging arms F F and the mechanism supported thereon to be elevated, the outer end of such arms at the same time grad- -ually lowering. By this construct-ion I am enabled to wind up a fence-bolt of a very large diameter and at the same time maintaining the same tension on the fence material as it is in course of being wound. After a bolt of fence material of sufficient size has been wound up the wires are cut and the shaft pulled out from the end X,'thereby permitting said bolt to be quickly removed, and by reinserting the shaft and securing the wires thereto the machine is again ready for operation.

be quickly brought to their upper position by releasing a stop -pawl 51, which holds the lower end of the shaft J and its gear J in engagement with the gear I, said shaft being journaled in an elongated opening in the bearing j. (See Fig. 1 at P.)

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a fence-making machine, the combination, with the main frame having a picket support or bed, a series of twister-disks disposed adjacent to and above said bed, and a main drive-shaft mounted in said frame, of an oscillating toothed segment, intermediate connections between said segment and the main shaft whereby said segment is reciprocated by the continued revolution of said main shaft, and intermediate cog-wheel and rackbar devices between said segment and the twister-disks, whereby said disks are revolved in opposite dirctions by the oscillating movement of the segment, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In afence-making machine, the combination, with the main frame having a picket After the arms have been automatij cally lowered to the farthest extent they may support or bed and a series of twister-disks having gear-wheel portions disposed adjacent to and above said bed, and a main drivingshaft journaled in said frame provided with a gear-wheel D, of the shaft E, provided with a gear E, engaging the gear D. said shaft E provided with a crank-arm F, an oscillating segment G, having an upper cog-surface, the pitmanf, connecting said segment and'the crank-arm, the shaft H, provided with a gear I, adapted to engage the toothed portion of the segment and a cog-gear H, a reciprocating bar J, provided with an upper rack-surface engaging said toothed twister-disks, and a lower rack-surface engaging the gear H, all arranged substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. In a fence-making machine, the combination, with the main frame havingapicketsupporting bed, a main drive-shaft journaled in said frame provided with a gear a", a shaft A journaled at right angles to the main shaft and geared therewith, and a cam secured upon said shaft A a rock-shaft O journaled to the frame in front of the picket-bed provided with a depending arm 0 adapted to engage the cam, and upwardlyprojecting arms 0 c and horizontal arms 0 hinged at the upper ends of the arms 0 said arms 0 operating transversely over the picketbed and adapted to engage said pickets and pull them away from said bed by the movement of the shaft A and its cam, and means for normally pulling said arms to their outward position, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. In a fence-making machine, the combination, with the main frame having a picketsupporting bed, the main drive-shaft B, provided with fixed flanges, one of said flanges having a radial lug,adisk X, loosely mounted on said shaft between said flanges provided with a spring-actuated pawl adapted to be engaged by said radial lug to turn said disk with the shaft, and a stop secured to the frame for disengaging the pawl and lug, of

' the picket-bed extension (),the reciprocating picket-pusher operating thereon, a pulley mounted on the outer end of said extension, a cord S passed thereover and connected to the pusher and the disk Z, and the spring U for drawing the pusher forward as the pull on the cord S is released, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. The combination, with the main frame provided with apicket-supporting bed formed with a lateral extension 0, said extension provided with alongitudinal slot, and guide-plates projecting over the upper edge of said slot, of a picket-pusher reciprocating in saidslot, said pusher consisting of a body portion operating in the slot and a pushing-finger projected above said slot, and means for recip rocating said pusher, substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. The combination, with the main frame provided with a picket-bed having an exten on the upper and lower faces of the said eX-" tension and projected over said slot, the plates Q Q, stopped short at each end of the eXtension, and the spring-catch 40 at the front end of the upper plates, of the picket-pushers P, consisting of a body portion P, having side grooves 10, adapted to engage the plates n n, an upwardly-projecting finger P pivoted at its lower end to the body, the spring P said finger provided with grooves 13 p adapted to engage the plates Q Q, said finger adapted to engage the spring 40 on its return movement and be thereby forced under the plates Q Q, and means for reciprocating the pusher, substantially as shown and described.

7. In a fence-making machine, the combination, with the main frame provided with a picket support or bed, of the spring-actuated picket guides E pivoted to the frame to swing in the path of the longitudinal movement of the picket, said guides provided withdevices mounted in said frame, and means for operating the twisting devices, of a boltshaft L journaled on the frame parallel to the picket-bed, a counter-shaft T geared with the main shaft B, and intermediate connections between said shaft B and the bolt-shaft L whereby the continued revolution of the main drive-shaft will impart a vertically-reciprocating and rotary motion to the boltshaft, substantially as and for the purpose described.

9. The combination, with the main frame provided with a picket-supporting bed, the wire-twisting devices, and the main driveshaft journaled in the frame, of the bolt-shaft L journaled on the frame, provided with a disk having a toothed section at one end fixed to turn therewith, an oscillating lever loosely mounted on said disk provided with gravitypawls engaging said toothed section, a counter-shaft T geared with the main shaft, a

crank secured upon the end of said countershaft, and a pitman, one end thereof connected to said crank, its opposite end connectedto a sliding collar adjustably held 011 the arm of the lever, substantially as and for the purpose described.

10. In a fence-making machine, the combination, with the drive-shaft B, the countershaft T geared therewith provided with a crank-arm, and the segmental rack H, of the centrally-pivoted bars F F, a disk L loosely journaled in the arm F having a non-circular socket and a bevel-gear portion L the bolt-shaft L having a non-circular end fitting said socket, supported at its opposite end in the arm F, a toothed section N on said disk L, the lever M having a pivotal pawl engaging said toothed disk, the shaft J f, provided with a gear K meshing with the bevel-gear If, the gear J 5 on the lower end of the shaft J, the counter-shaft G provided with a gear I meshing with gear J 5 and with a cog-wheel 9", adapted to engage the rack H, and a pitman-connection between the crank-arm S and the lever M all arranged substantially as and for the purpose described.

11. In a fence-making machine, the combination, with the main frame and a main drive-shaft journaled thereon, of the wiretwisting devices, a reciprocating picketpusher adapted to automatically insert the pickets between the wires, a picket-shifter for pulling the pickets from the picket-bed, a bolt-shaft journaled to the frame adapted to wind up the Woven fence material, and intermediate connections between said wiretwisters, picket-pusher, picket-shifter, the bolt-shaft, and the main drive-shaft, whereby said devices are automatically operated at predetermined intervals by a continuous revolution of the said drive-shaft, all arranged substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES KELLEY.

Witnesses:

WV. T. DENNIS, WM. KELLY. 

